Posted on March 28, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Good work being done north of us in B.C. But they face stiff challenges. Read why. It might just work here, since we have a much closer market and have eliminated the Atlantic salmon in the pens in the water.This is exactly what some of us have been pushing the state to help get some trials going.
Cranmer says if he and his Namgis First Nation people had their way, they’d get rid of open-water salmon farms. But they can’t, so they’re trying another idea for rebuilding a salmon economy for their community. They’ve built their own salmon farm — on land.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-03-27/canadian-first-nations-group-wants-you-buy-salmon-raised-land
Filed under: Aquaculture, Puget Sound | Tagged: Net Pens Aquaculture, Puget Sound | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 28, 2018 by Al Bergstein
William Ruckelshaus, who ran the E.P.A. under Nixon and Reagan, said that Pruitt and his top staff “don’t fundamentally agree with the mission of the agency.” Margaret Talbot reports. (New Yorker) See also: The E.P.A. Says It Wants Research Transparency. Scientists See an Attack on Science. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/climate/epa-scientific-transparency-honest-act.html Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times)
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/04/02/scott-pruitts-dirty-politics
Filed under: Government, Puget Sound | Tagged: Air Pollution, Government Legislation, Puget Sound | 2 Comments »
Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein
From Cantwell’s office:
As the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Cantwell fought back against the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the country’s most successful conservation program, and secured a $25 million increase in funding over last year’s levels. The funding also includes specific allocations for Washington state projects, including $1 million for Lake Chelan Natural Recreation Area, $5 million for Okanagan National Forest, $6.3 million for the Forest Legacy program in South Puget Sound, and $2 million for the Dewatto Headwaters. Cantwell has long promoted the program, touting its importance for conservation and its positive economic affects for Washington state. In March of 2017, she introduced a bill to permanently authorize and fully fund the LWFC, and she has steadfastly defended the program in the face of attacks.
Filed under: Environmental Protection, Government, legislation, Puget Sound | Tagged: Environmental Protection, Maria Cantwell, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Cantwell helps secure $25M increase in the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein
It is great to see that this is turning into a national holiday. One of the most inspiring people I’ve ever personally met.Thoughts of his words and the times I met him keep me going when the going gets tough and it feels like nothing will change.
Last Friday members of the Washington state Congressional delegation passed a resolution designating March 9, the day of Billy Frank Jr.’s birth, as an official national day of remembrance of his life, legacy and accomplishments. Also on Frank Jr.’s birthday on Friday was a dedication and blessing of a park and trail in Frank Jr.’s name by the Port of Olympia. U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Patty Murray (D-Washington) and U.S. Representatives Denny Heck (D-Washington) and Derek Kilmer (D-Washington) introduced a resolution to honor Billy Frank Jr. (Nisqually Valley News)
http://www.yelmonline.com/life/article_54e64592-2880-11e8-8a96-4fbcf3d95401.html
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Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Another good idea to explore for saving salmon. Could be used in some trial scenarios. From many non-native fishermen I’ve talked to, the issue for them will likely be management of the native part of the take. There is a wide spread perception that the tribal take is not well managed and that they get to take more with less oversight, while the non-native fisherman is overburdened with regulations and enforcement. It’s been expressed to me that all many fishermen want is equal balance to the catch. While I’ve done a lot of looking into this issue and do not feel that the non-native perspective is accurate, the state and tribes might want to do a better job of PR to the non native community to help explain how it’s done.
Higher standards of “sustainability” for salmon — recently developed by the Wild Fish Conservancy — are designed to put salmon on people’s tables with virtually no impact on depleted salmon runs. The new standards, which could become part of a certification program, are built upon the concept that fishing should take place closer to streams with abundant runs of salmon. The standards call for fishing methods that can take a portion of the fish from the abundant runs while allowing fish from depleted runs to pass on by and spawn naturally. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways
https://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/2018/03/22/new-ways-of-fishing-could-better-protect-endangered-salmon/
Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: Puget Sound, Salmon Recovery | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein
This is a major problem, and one that pits one creature against the other as we watch the stocks of salmon continue to decline. Sea lions aren’t the *only* issue facing salmon, (which include habitat destruction, over fishing and more) but given the low numbers of fish, they have become a major problem for their survival. The question it raises is do we kill off sea lions to save the salmon? If so, how many?
It’s a frustrating dance between California sea lions and wildlife managers that’s become all too familiar in recent months. The bizarre survival war has intensified recently as the sea lion population rebounds and fish populations decline in the Pacific Northwest Gillian Flaccus reports.(Associated Press)
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/sea-lions-gobbling-fragile-fish-in-us-northwest-survival-war/
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Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Glad to hear that we continue to get money for the clean up of Puget Sound, a project that will take probably as long as it’s taken to pollute it. But the work will continue.
Of course the trade off is that the military budget was given more than ever. And the Navy will likely continue it’s expansion throughout the northwest Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The Trump administration failed in its efforts to wipe out money to clean up Puget Sound and other waterways from Chesapeake Bay to the Great Lakes, as Congress has refused to dry up spending on water programs. Puget Sound gets $28 million as part of $8.08 billion in funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Trump administration had wanted to slash EPA’s budget to $5.7 billion, in real dollars its lowest spending in 40 years. The money is contained in a mammoth omnibus federal spending bill, passed Thursday by the House of Representatives and due for final action Friday in the Senate. [The bill passed the Senate and awaits the President’s signature.] Joel Connelly reports. (SeattlePI.Com)
https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Connelly-Puget-Sound-cleanup-survives-Trump-12775110.php
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Posted on March 22, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Grateful for all the legislators, tribal leaders and environmentalists who backed and pushed this through. Sad that it took a disaster to get this done, but sometimes that’s the way it goes. Now the lawsuits begin, and Tim Eyman is apparently going to try and get an initiative put in place to overturn this.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/
The whole bill language is here.
Filed under: Aquaculture, legislation, Puget Sound | Tagged: Government Legislation, net pens, Net Pens Aquaculture, Puget Sound | 4 Comments »
Posted on March 22, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Some positive news on the oil spill protection front.
SB 6269-S2.E – DIGEST
Addresses oil transportation safety. Finds that the department of ecology’s oil spill program faces a critical funding gap due to the lack of adequate revenue to fully fund the prevention and preparedness services required by state law, including the 2015 oil transportation safety act.
Declares an intent to: (1) Provide adequate revenue to fully fund prevention and preparedness services required by state law;
(2) Direct the department of ecology to specifically address the risks of oils submerging and sinking; and (3) More extensively coordinate with our Canadian
partners in order to protect the state’s economy and its shared resources.
Requires the department of ecology to: (1) Establish the Salish Sea shared waters forum to address common issues in the cross-boundary waterways between Washington state and British Columbia such as: Enhancing efforts to reduce oil spill risk, addressing navigational safety, and promoting data sharing; and (2) In consultation with the Puget Sound partnership and the pilotage commission, complete a report of vessel traffic
and vessel traffic safety within the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound area that includes the San Juan archipelago, its connected waterways, Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, Rosario
Strait, and the waters south of Admiralty Inlet.
Provides a July 1, 2021, expiration date for the Salish Sea shared waters forum.
Filed under: Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Puget Sound | Tagged: Environmental Protection, oil spill prevention, Puget Sound | 2 Comments »
Posted on March 22, 2018 by Al Bergstein
More money for halibut monitoring and management.
States that a catch record card for halibut is five dollars. Requires the funds that are received from the sale of halibut catch record cards to be used for monitoring and
management of recreational halibut fisheries including expanding opportunities for recreational anglers
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 6127
Relating to improving the management of the state’s halibut fishery.
Primary Sponsor: Kevin Van De Wege
Filed under: Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Puget Sound | Tagged: Environmental Protection, halibut, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Governor to sign bill improving halibut monitoring.
Posted on March 22, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Mike Chapman and Steve Tharinger sponsored the bill. Governor to sign it today.
Requires the department of natural resources to provide a report to the legislature by December 1, 2018, and each December 1st until the year after the United States fish and wildlife service issues an incidental take permit on the state trust land habitat conservation plan for the long-term conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet. Requires the report to include: (1) An economic analysis of potential losses or gains from any proposed marbled murrelet long-term conservation strategy selected by the board of natural resources; and (2) Recommendations relating to actions that support family-wage timber and related jobs, strategies on loss of revenues to the trust beneficiaries, financing county services, and conservation measures for the marbled murrelet that also provide economic benefits to rural communities. Requires the commissioner of public lands to appoint a marbled murrelet advisory committee to assist the department in developing and providing the report. Requires the standing committee with jurisdiction over state trust land management from the house of representatives and the senate, each regular legislative session, to each hold a meeting on the report and on the habitat conservation plan update process.
Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 2285
Relating to establishing a reporting process for the department of natural resources
regarding certain marbled murrelet habitat information.
Primary Sponsor: Mike Chapman
Filed under: Environmental Law, Environmental Protection, Puget Sound | Tagged: Environmental Protection, marbled murrelett, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Governor Slated to Sign Bill Helping Marbled Murrelet Information Today
Posted on March 16, 2018 by Al Bergstein
A good overview of the session.
Even with Democrats in charge of the Legislature, environmentalists struggled on climate, clean water and orca protection.
You won’t pay an extra dime to fight climate change for every gallon of gasoline you buy. Puget Sound stands to be a tad better protected from oil spills when oil-tanker traffic jumps sevenfold, increasing the risk of a spill. And while your current microwave popcorn bag or burger wrapper likely contains a cancer-causing chemical today, your future purchases — starting in 2022, or perhaps later — aren’t supposed to.
Those are among the mixed environmental results from this year’s whirlwind 60-day session of the Washington state Legislature — marked by a few environmental firsts but also some significant losses for the greens on climate change that go beyond their inability to pass a carbon tax.
https://crosscut.com/2018/03/environmental-wins-and-losses-olympia-year?utm_source=Sightline%20Institute&utm_medium=web-email&utm_campaign=Sightline%20News%20Selections
Filed under: legislation, Puget Sound | Tagged: Government Legislation, Puget Sound | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 15, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Bella Bella, Heiltsuk Territory (March 4, 2018) – The Heiltsuk Nation is pleased with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO’s) announcement on Friday that it is suspending the 2018 commercial roe herring fishery on the Central Coast.
“Heiltsuk’s relationship with herring dates back hundreds of generations,” said Heiltsuk hereditary chief Harvey Humchitt. “We are still feeling the impacts of the reduction and sac roe fisheries from the past century. This decision is an important step as we continue to work towards the recovery of herring populations in our territory and uphold our responsibility to care for the resource.”
“We have been working hard to secure this closure to allow our herring stocks to rebuild. With this decision, DFO has taken an encouraging concrete step to show that it is serious about reconciliation,” said Marilyn Slett, Heiltsuk Chief Councillor. “We applaud DFO’s recognition of Heiltsuk traditional knowledge and their desire to support co-management of fisheries with us. We hope this is indicative of times to come.”
“Taking this action to protect herring today will yield benefits for all of us in the future when their biomass recovers. Not just for Heiltsuk and other First Nations, but also for fishers on the coast and wildlife alike,” said Heiltsuk hereditary chief and Gladstone Reconciliation Society board member Frank Brown.
Heiltsuk and DFO had been working together since August with a goal of developing a Joint Fisheries Management Plan. Heiltsuk asserted the need to refrain from a sac roe fishery this year in order to enable continued herring recovery. Herring biomass on the central coast remains far below historical levels.
http://www.heiltsuknation.ca/dfos-agreement-to-suspend-roe-herring-fishery-will-give-stocks-an-opportunity-to-recover/?utm_source=Pacific+Wild+Subscribers&utm_campaign=a2e0c815e9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5b727989ef-a2e0c815e9-144071741&mc_cid=a2e0c815e9&mc_eid=dbb1d4da78
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 15, 2018 by Al Bergstein
If the President is openly admitting to lying to allies like Canada, what is next? We already know the lies and deceptive practices going on in his energy and environmental departments. If we no longer can believe anything coming out of the mouth of the President, or his cabinet, is it time to impeach him? Where does this end? Do we now expect all our allies to lie to us? Even if you are a Republican, how do you justify this behavior from the leader of this country? How do we even do business with a man like this and his allies in the government? And what kind of message does this signal to children?
It’s time for our Congressional delegation to openly stop business as usual in the capital and demand an accounting of this.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/in-fundraising-speech-trump-says-he-made-up-facts-in-meeting-with-trudeau/?utm_source=marketingcloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning+Brief+3-15-18_3_15_2018
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on In fundraising speech, Trump says he made up facts in meeting with Trudeau
Posted on March 15, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Very disturbing news from the BBC.
Plastic particles found in bottled water
Tests on major brands of bottled water have found that nearly all of them contained tiny particles of plastic. In the largest investigation of its kind, 250 bottles bought in nine different countries were examined. Research led by journalism organization Orb Media discovered an average of 10 plastic particles per litre, each larger than the width of a human hair. Companies whose brands were tested told the BBC that their bottling plants were operated to the highest standards. Read the full scientific report [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/14_03_13_finalbottled.pdf] David Shukman reports. (BBC) See also: Scientists discover microplastics in Vancouver water samples http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/microplasticpollution-found-in-vancouver-water-samples-1.4576756 (CBC)
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43388870
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Posted on March 15, 2018 by Al Bergstein
[Washington Governor Jay] Inslee said the orcas are in trouble and called on everyone in the state to do their part. His directive aims to make more salmon available to the whales; give them more space and quieter waters; make sure they have clean water to swim in; and protect them from potential oil spills. “The destiny of salmon and orca and we humans are intertwined,”…”As the orca go, so go we.” Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)
https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2018/03/14/inslee-roll-out-measures-protect-orcas/425028002/
Filed under: Environmental Protection, Government, legislation, Puget Sound | Tagged: Environmental Protection, Government Legislation, Puget Sound | Comments Off on New Washington directive aims to help endangered orcas
Posted on March 12, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Posted on March 12, 2018 by Al Bergstein
I know this has been a concern to some of you here on the Peninsula. There also has been a huge amount of fake news on social media about this. Here’s the latest research.
Seven years after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan released radioactive elements into the environment, researchers say those elements pose minimal risk to human or salmon health along British Columbia’s coast. A team of researchers at Simon Fraser University’s nuclear science lab collected soil and salmon samples from the Quesnel and Harrison rivers and used a high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy to search for signs of radioactive isotopes. The isotopes — Cesium 134 and 137 — are fission fragments that do not exist in nature and, therefore, can be directly attributed to nuclear reactions. Amy Smart reports. (Canadian Press)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/no-adverse-effects-from-2011-fukushima-nuclear-disaster-on-b-c-coast-sfu-researchers-1.4571870
Filed under: Environmental Protection, Puget Sound | Tagged: Environmental Protection, fukushima, Puget Sound, radiation | Comments Off on No adverse effects from 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster on B.C. coast: SFU researchers – Canadian Press
Posted on March 2, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Here is an update on the Federal Government’s proposed offshore oil and gas leasing program. The Washington State “listening session” has been rescheduled for March 5th and a new venue. The new spot is the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia, 2300 Evergreen Park Dr., SW. The scheduled time is 3pm to 7pm PST. This is on the west side of Olympia, not downtown. Take the Decatur/Crosby St exit off of 101, cross over the freeway and then turn right on Evergreen Park Dr. SW.
There some parallel events at the same location that start with speakers at 1pm and a People’s hearing 2-7:30, sponsored by Sierra Club and other groups. They are also urging people to go to the BOEM session as well.
Also, as a reminder, comments on the proposal are still due March 9, 2018. They would prefer you to comment online, though they will take mailed comments. For online comments, go to https://www.boem.gov/National-Program-Comment/.
Thanks to Andy Pallmer for the update.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: oil and gas leasing, Puget Sound | 3 Comments »
Posted on February 22, 2018 by Al Bergstein
Clallam Marine Resources Committee just received the correct sign-in information from Department of Ecology. To participate in the webinar March 14th please use the link below. Sorry about the inconvenience.
Helle Andersen
Project Coordinator
Clallam MRC
March 14th Webinar “Staying Prepared in an Evolving World of Oil Movement” at 12 – 1 pm
More than 20 billion gallons of oil moves through Washington each year, carried by vessel, pipeline, road, and rail. You are invited to an online webinar to learn about the recent improvements and current challenges Washington state environmental regulators face to keep the state’s oil spill program strong. Learn about bulk oil movement in Washington, implementation of the 2015 Oil Transportation Safety Act, properties of oil and potential impacts from spills, existing response capability and opportunities for staying involved.
The webinar will be hosted by NWSC and Clallam MRC and presented by Dale Jensen, Program Manager and Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, Preparedness Manager, Department of Ecology Spills Program.
Join the webinar by clicking on this link: https://watech.webex.com/watech/j.php?MTID=m1586245d9d84d4a96259e47117c288da
Meeting password: spills18
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